(The Center Square) – A Puyallup high school wrestler who said she was sexually assaulted by a male who identifies as female during a match last December is asking a federal judge to step in.
Kallie Keeler, who now is 16, along with her mother are suing the school district, as well as state education officials and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association claiming the policies that allow transgender athletes to compete in girls and women’s sports violate Title IX.
The Rogers High School student reported the alleged assault to school officials and her coach two days after the Dec. 6, 2025 incident, but the family contends administration failed to take meaningful action to protect and investigate her claim of sexual assault.
She was wrestling against a transgender wrestler, and Keeler did not know the wrestler was a male who identifies as female at the time of the match.
Video of the match taken by Keeler’s mom and featured in Brandi Kruse’s unDivided podcast, shows the teen grimacing as the opponent’s hand is seen between her legs.
Pierce County prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against the athlete accused in the incident. They said they did not believe they could prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Jason Smith, 55, and athletic coordinator Peter Collins, 49, were charged July 21 in Pierce County District Court with failing to comply with Washington’s mandatory reporting law, which requires them to report incidents of alleged assault within 48 hours.
Keeler’s attorneys appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma Tuesday, seeking an injunction.
“What we were asking for number one is that Kallie be removed from that school environment because she can’t wrestle under these coaches who ignored her complaints and under a principal and an administration that ignored her,” said Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Hal Frampton in a Tuesday interview with The Center Square.
“Second, that her mother be given notice and the right to opt out before she’s placed on the mat against a male again. And then third, that under Title IX, which exists to protect equal athletic opportunity for women, that she not be required to wrestle against a male athlete.”
“Those are the three main things that are at issue in the case, and we are hopeful that the court will restore the original meaning and purpose of Title IX,” said Frampton.
Rep. Michael Keaton, R-Puyallup, told The Center Square school officials failing to report the alleged sex assault is inexcusable.
“They did not get over to the police for like almost two months. And you can’t do that. You know, they’re all mandatory reporters. If there’s an issue, it needs to be reported. I’ve heard that the principal has resigned, and I’m just happy that there’s finally some accountability here,” said Keaton.
The Center Square was unable to confirm Smith’s resignation.
The Center Square reached out to the WIAA, the district, the attorney from the Washington Attorney General’s office on the case and to OSPI for comment on Tuesday’s arguments.
The WIAA responded to say they could not comment because of the ongoing case and investigation. The district said the same and Mike Faulk in the attorney general’s office said OSPI would be the ones to reach out to on the case, but the office did not respond before publication.
When The Center Square published an initial story on the case on Feb. 10, Puyallup School spokeswoman Sarah Gillispie emailed a short statement.
“This matter is under investigation. As such, we cannot share details or discuss specifics. What we can say is that student safety is a top priority and that all reports involving student safety are taken seriously.”
The U.S. Department of Education is also investigating the Puyallup School District for how the matter was handled.
“The allegations in this case are sickening – that a female athlete was not only unknowingly forced to compete against a male in a girls-only division placing her at increased risk for sexual assault, but that her report of sexual assault during the match was ignored by Puyallup School District for months. While the District may prioritize ideological agendas over the safety and dignity of its students, the Trump Administration will not tolerate such conduct,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey, in a Feb. 13 news release.
“It should not be the price of admission to school sports that girls have to give up fairness and safety,” said Frampton with ADF. “That the only way you can play sports in Washington state is to say ‘I’m OK being unsafe by being on a field or on a wrestling mat or on a basketball court with a male. I’m OK with it not being fair. I’m OK with whatever might happen in the course of that event.’ That’s simply absurd.”
Frampton said there is no anticipated timeline for a decision from the court, but noted the judge seemed to understand the urgency, with the new school year just a couple of weeks away.